Every Day Life with God

Crossroads United Methodist ChurchAnnuAL REpoRt 2011

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level if immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Romans 12:1-2 The Message

“There is a rhythm of engagement and withdrawal, work and rest, dispensing and recharging, crowdsand solitude. not rule or law…but pathways to life in which your rhythm is created with God.” os Guinness

seven Gathered nine Equipped eleven Served thirteen Imagined fifteen Gavesix History

InwARD reflecting, examining, and listening for God’s work in our life

outwARD encountering God in all others and expanding our view of the kingdom of God

toGEtHER sharing and listening for God in one another

The Journey Inward, outward and together is rhythm of life, not to be balanced, but in a response to the movements of God and the circumstances and people we encounter.

In 1989, a new united Methodist Church in Ashburn began with the help of Ryan united Methodist Church.1990, Ashburn united Methodist Church was chartered with 65 members.By 1992, we built our own space to serve the growing community as well as founding HopE preschool.In the mid-1990’s our worship gatherings introduced contemporary music and a Saturday night timeframe, and we expanded the size of the original building. In 1999, a small group left for their first mission trip to uganda. The team conducted medical clinics, built Mt Lebanon uMC in Mukono, and developed HuMBLE School.2001 saw the beginning of Food and Fellowship in Franklin park, a mission of bringing lunch to and being with our homeless brothers and sisters.2002, a new vision of our journey with God—crossing barriers and intersecting with the lives of others. our church name was officially changed to Crossroads uMC.2004, HuMBLE School in uganda opens to serve 116 vulnerable children, mostly orphans. we also opened a worship gathering at Stone Bridge High School.2005, seeing the growing needs of students from ESL, the Loudoun County Missions team launched Grace Ministries to respond to the needs of families in our local community. Meanwhile, we donated the pews from our previously sloped sanctuary floor to help rebuild devastated Hurricane Katrina communities.2006 saw the formation of people committed to serving our western Loudoun neighbors, with Crossroads west worship gathering.In 2007 a Latino church community took form, offering a place of gathering and worship for our Spanish speaking neighbors. we also began an ongoing relationship with people of Bensonton, Jamaica.2009 kicked off the 4/5’s Community Service Sundays, which continues to broaden our view of worship and service.2010 saw us expand to Brambleton’s Fox theatre for a worship gathering, where we learned a new approach to growth was needed, as a result....2011 initiated a bold initiative which we call Imagine, to connect those outside the church to their spirituality.

our History

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Latino community average Saturday attendance: 64

First time guests: 1.5% attending, our goal is 4%

Second time guests: 33% of first time guests return, our goal is 40%

people who worshipped with us at least once: 2425

Baptisms we celebrated together: 41

Circles: 240 people of all ages

Children gathered at Hope preschool’s monthly Praise and Celebration: 250

wE pRAYED, by name, 26,189 times for our worship gatherers

FIRSt tIME GuEStS:2011 3552010 2492009 284

totAL AvERAGE woRSHIp AttEnDAnCE:2011 5892010 6002009 608

“As a family we feel thankful for the journeys we have taken in our lives; always being firmly anchored in the Lord and to a church home that is our family away from family. when we moved to virginia in late summer 2010, we did our share of church “shopping” but never felt those were where the Lord wanted for our next chapter of our family’s journey. we finally accepted an invitation from a dear friend to visit Crossroads. we were warmly welcomed from the first moments and have felt like a part of the Crossroads family ever since.”

neil, Christy, nathaniel (14 yrs) and Jakob (14 yrs); the Jenkins family.

Gathered to celebrate God in our everyday life.8

Equippedone another to see God in everyday life.

nuRSERY–5tH GRADE 516 served by 118 guides

vBS 350 campers served by 178 guides

MIDDLE AnD HIGH SCHooL 230 served by 26 guides

ConFIRMAtIon 19 students and 28 parent guides

woMEn AnD MEn 100 served by 12 guides

FAMILY 115 families served by 13 guides

SERvICE 1000’s served by 321 guides

MY EvERYDAY LIFE wItH GoD BooK to 278 people

GoD In nAtuRE 102 served by 12 guides

GREEtInG AnD woRSHIp LEADInG we were served by 184 guides

pRAYER REquEStS 4423 and 500+ care cards sent through 15 guides

“Confirmation what does that mean? [At the beginning of Confirmation] the word meant nothing to me, it was that day at church where kids went up kneeled down, and the church said words of affirmation. I’m supposed to share with you my story, I’m only 15 and in my opinion I’ve always thought there isn’t much to share...Fast forward confirmation Sunday I’m standing up here sharing with you my faith. The [experience] is over and my definition of confirmation has changed. to me it means a friendship with God that’s still unfolding. It’s making new friends on retreats and spending time out in the woods alone for an hour trying to be silent. For a teenager that’s very hard to do. now I don’t harbor bad feelings towards God, I’m a new person and God is a part of this.”

Nia (9th Grade)10

Servedothers to share God’s grace in everyday life.

Shoes for Education: Sent over 600 pairs of shoes to JamaicaESL: 200+ students Grace Ministries: 500 Loudon County peopleFranklin Square: Sharing food, clothing and developing relationships with hundred’s of homeless neighbors in DC Friendship Bridge: Emergency relief for our Loudoun County neighbors. Distributed over $31,000 in housing utility, medical, food, gasoline, legal, and other assistance Community Groups AA, Scouts, etc: over 350 people use the Crossroads buildingHOPE Preschool toys for tots: 150 toysDC Tutors: provided twice monthly classroom assistance and over 150 Thanksgiving baskets for Southeast DC schoolsShort Term Trips DC, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Jamaica, Uganda: Hundreds servedHUMBLE School Partnership: 250 children served with scholarships, shoes, e-readers–thousands more indirectly served through Hope for Africa Choir and a partnership with unAIDSCrossroads Jobs: Started in 2011 to help move those in crisis in the Loudoun community into a place of sustainability 4/5’s Community Service Sundays: Hundred’s served, and continues to grow in participation and community partnership with:

Loudoun Emergency Homeless ShelterLoudoun Youth ShelterChildren’s InnChrist house in DCLoudoun Abused Women’s Shelter

ECHO worksSoldier Care PackagesSalt and Light Prisoner pen palsBirthday Blessings for children of low income families

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Farmwell Station Middle School, Legacy Elementary SchoolChurch of the Holy SpiritGood Shepherd Alliance

on February 27, 2011 we cast a vision as to how we the people of Crossroads might connect spiritually with those in our neighborhoods choosing to stay outside the walls of institutional church. on that day the Spirit of God moved in the hearts of more than 60 people stirring up a sincere passion to learn how they might connect spiritually with those not connected to a faith community. The Spirit led us out to have 50 conversations with people who are not connected to a faith community. By listening, we learned that even though people are not connected to an organized religion they are still very spiritual and wanting spiritual community. As the Spirit continued to stir up imaginative ways as to how it is that people might connect to Spiritual communities outside the walls of Sunday church, non-traditional forms for gatherings are being imagined and created almost monthly. From meetups in bars and restaurants, to people inviting their friends and neighbors over for a simply beautiful meal and open nonjudgmental conversation about life, to exploring nature as a way to see and feel God’s awesome presence, to imagining ways to connect with 20-30 year olds at a winery, the passion to imagine new ways for connection goes on and on. Just as Jesus gathered with people from all sorts of backgrounds to engage in spiritual conversations that opened them up to a fuller view of God’s gracious presence in everyday life, so is Crossroads…ImagInIng god’s uncondItIonal welcome for all people.

“ At Imagine we want to foster conversations. We want to understand other perspectives and other points of view. How do you have a conversation about faith and spirituality without coming across as having a hidden agenda? It is a struggle. But the struggle is what makes it so special. Because when you do get past all of the words, clichés and religious lingo, you discover a deep and rich connection with others that previously seemed impossible. You realize that we are not so different, you and I.” Crossroads Imagin-eer

“for the first time in years, I feel connected to something. and for that I am simply grateful.” crossroads Imagin-eer

imagineda vision for the new frontier

“recently I’ve found myself looking at people in a different light, trying to find god in everyone, something I’m afraid I haven’t done before.” crossroads Imagin-eer

“spirituality is more important to me than organized religion. my spirituality keeps me connected with god even when I am not engaged in organized religion. It is very important to me.” a loudoun county neighbor

“I have never felt so at home spiritually in my entire life. It’s the first time I’ve been able to resolve the conflict in my heart over church and my own story. I am thrilled, humbled, and blessed beyond measure to be a part of IMAGINE.” crossroads Imagin-eer

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GAVE

BuILDInG $179,730

MoRtGAGE $214,115

uMC ConnECtIon $209,180

woRSHIp $164,933

LAtIno $32,570

DISCIpLESHIp $341,646

IMAGInE $99,957ADMIn/CoMMunICAtIon $309,629

to reflect God’s generocity

* General giving does not account for all income recieved

general GivinG

2011

2010

2009

$1,211,963

$1,262,369

$1,339,275

mission GivinG

2011

2010

2009

$251,090

$207,909

$204,493

LoCAL $49,972

Friendship BridgeGrace MinistriesHearts & Hands–CuMC westESLMemorial Fund4/5’s Community ServiceFood and FellowshipDC tutors/tennis Camp

uGAnDA $167,737

Bikes/BirthdayJewelryScarvesSewing MachineAshburn Farm 10kE-ReadersScholarshipsSoul 2 Sole Shoes & LettersShort term trips

REGIonAL $33,381

uMCoR–Japan ReliefJamaica partnershipsKatrina ReliefDooR–Atlantapittsburgh project

BuILDInG $179,730

MoRtGAGE $214,115

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And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Acts 1:8

our greatest desire at Crossroads is to fully embrace God’s radical grace in everyday life, and participate with Jesus in bringing meaning to life and peace to others. we believe this desire is a God given one, for any and all people–and people are trying to connect with it no matter their background. May these lyrics be your experience...

I hope you never lose your sense of wonderYou get your fill to eat but always keep that hungerMay you never take one single breath for granted God forbid love ever leave you empty handedI hope you still feel small when you stand beside the oceanWhenever one door closes, I hope one more opensPromise me you’ll give faith a fighting chanceAnd when you get the choice to sit it out or danceI hope you dance

Excerpt from: I Hope You Dance Mark D Sanders and tia Sellers

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